Choking Embrace
by Araiguma177
Summary: Paul has been after classmate Juliet for years and after he imprints on her, his obsession only grows deeper, urging him to do anything to get his mate to stay by his side. Things only manage to get worse when she unknowingly dates a vampire. Possessive and cocky Paul. PaulxOC
1. Embrace

Disclaimer: I do not own _Twilight _or any of its characters. The OC's in this story are my creation and are not based on real people. That being said, I hope you guys enjoys my story. I welcome criticism and reviews. Thank you and enjoy!

* * *

"Embrace" – Goldroom

_I've been thinking bout you every day / Now I see you walking around my way / So, easing into your embrace / It's like you never went away_

* * *

**JPOV**

"Oh crap," my friend, Kim, murmured. She was glancing down the hall towards the main entrance, dozens of locker lengths away from us. A crowd of students just arriving to school blocked the source of her annoyance for a little bit. As they began to part to their own lockers, I quickly realized why she was so bummed.

Paul Lahote and his trouble-seeking buddies had walked in, most likely scanning every face for a victim of their bullying. Luckily, I've been a target to receive some mercy, but I knew very well how torturous the tormenting was thanks to my best friend Kim: one of their favorite preys. Paul was their leader, head of the clan of four – I don't pay any attention to the others – and he was known for getting around in the sheets and for his ruthless picking on others. Just yesterday he had stolen Chad Johnson's clothes out of his gym locker, making him have to wait naked in the shower for a whole fifteen minutes while his mother drove him a new change. It doesn't sound too horrible when compared to his other "pranks", but that was Chad's third victimizing that week. Poor guy.

I hurriedly snatched my calculus textbook out of my locker, slamming it shut and double-checking to make sure that it had locked. Kim followed suit and we quickly spun on our heels, speeding down the opposite end of the hallway in a desperate attempt to avoid Paul and his cronies.

The laughter of him and his friends seemed to grow louder as we fled; they were following us. Damn it. "C'mon Kim," I urged, quickening my pace. My classroom wasn't too far from here, but Kim's was on the other end of the school, so she needed to move faster than me.

Kim was a foot shorter than me, and with shorter legs. Therefore, I needed to help give her the extra push. I could withstand Paul's torment, but she couldn't take it again. The last time when they keyed her car in the school parking lot, she had mentioned that she was considered switching high schools to the one in Forks. I wouldn't let Paul take my best friend away from me. "Go on ahead," I said, giving Kim a light shove on the back, as if that would make her move any faster.

She glanced back at me, then behind me, and scurried on her way.

Sighing, I slowed down my pace and, sure enough, it didn't take long for Paul and his buds to catch up to me. A giant hand engulfed my shoulder and I froze in my tracks, rolling my eyes and pursing my lips in annoyance. "Yes?" I asked, trying extremely hard to keep the attitude out of my voice so that Paul wouldn't have something to poke fun at.

"Juliet," he greeted me and he moved in front of me, facing me head-on. Paul was an intimidating young man. He was a senior and already eighteen, standing almost two feet taller than I, and his muscular build added strength to his tough guy demeanor. No one messed with him, ever. He leaned his back on the lockers, his three friends standing behind him, smiles wide on their faces. "I have a question for you."

"I'm fairly sure that my answer's already 'No,'" I said. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to get to class." I used my free hand to peel Paul's off my shoulder, but as soon as my fingers were there, he grasped my hand and held it hostage in his vicegrip.

"I was going to ask you if you'd like to go out to dinner with me," he asked, putting on a grin that was meant to melt my heart. All it did was give me nausea. Paul's friends continued to fight their laughter, waiting for the funny part of Paul's joke to begin.

"No thank you, now I have to go," I scoffed, trying to yank my arm away, but his grip was too strong for me.

"Aww, you're breakin' my heart, Jules," Paul pouted, the corners of his lips still wearing his idiotic grin. "We'll have a nice date: dinner, a movie, and then I'll introduce you to someone." He cocked his eyebrow at that last statement.

"Okay, I'll bite. Who?" I asked.

Paul yanked on my hand, pulling it downwards towards him. Then with his other hand, he pulled his pants and boxers away from his torso, supplying just enough room to shove my hand down there. "It's Paul Junior!" he shouted, his friends bursting out in hysterics. I gasped as I felt Paul's fleshy member against the backside of my hand, eyes widening as it even began to get harder.

"Oh my god!" I cried out, pulling away. I pushed Paul away from me, but he barely moved two paces back. "You are sick, Lahote!" I stormed off, leaving the laughs of Paul's gang behind me, my face beet red with rage and embarrassment.

"You'll love it once you try it!" Paul shouted at me.

God, I really hate Paul Lahote.

Heading into the classroom, I threw myself in the desk at the very back of the class, where I prefer to sit. I was only a junior, but I took senior calculus so that I could graduate early and leave La Push as soon as possible. It's not that I hate the place, I'd just prefer to live in a big city where it doesn't frickin' rain all the time! Maybe I'll go to New Mexico where it does get cold, but I can enjoy sunshine every now and then.

I pulled my notebook out of my bag and flipped it open to the middle, ready to jot down whatever notes the teacher was going to write on the chalkboard. Sure I may be what some classify a nerd, but I see it more as an opportunity to go to new places…and leave some people behind. People such as Paul. Despite being a senior, he's not too smart and rumors are already flying that he may not graduate this year. And there's no way in Hell that I want to spend another year with him.

"Hey, may I copy your notes?" Embry Call asked. He sat next to me and I always helped him out with his math work. Like me, he was a junior who was looking to taking senior classes in the hopes of graduating early. He hung out with Jacob Black and Quil…uh, something. There was a gang that couldn't get on my nerves, at least too much. I was dragged to a party last week (Kim and I pretty much sat on the couch the whole time) and all Jacob could talk about was some girl who lived over in Forks. Apparently he's had the hots for her ever since they were little kids. Sounds sweet, I know, but it got pretty damn annoying having to hear about how perfect that Bella girl was. Ugh, she sounds like a Mary Sue: too perfect that she's not a real person at all. Whatever.

"Sure," I answered Embry. "I'll give them to you after class."

"Thanks." Embry turned back to his textbook, flipping through it to find the assignment last night. I don't think he did it, again. He paused and looked back at me. "What are you doing this weekend?"

Embry is okay, but that's it. Sure he's a nice guy, but I don't really want to go out with anybody right now. I have been asked out a couple times this year, but I denied each offer mainly because I don't really have time to date with all my classes. Plus, I've been trying to look for a job. I haven't had any luck yet, but I'm still trying. Just the other day I put in an application for the new Target that opened up in Forks. "I'm going out of town," I lied, "visiting my grandma."

"Oh, that's a shame," Embry said, trying not to look too disappointed. He turned his gaze back down to his textbook.

The teacher began the lecture and I spent the rest of the class period copying whatever was written, and ignoring the awkward silent treatment that Embry was giving me. Even at the end of class when I ripped out my page of notes and handed it to him, all he gave me was a simple "Thanks," and he didn't look my way.

Sure I felt a little bad about shooting down Embry's date setup, but at the same time it boosted my ego a bit. No one will admit it, but everyone likes to be asked out even if they don't like to date. I gathered up my stuff and walked out of the classroom and back to my locker, ready to retrieve my English book. Unfortunately, just as I got my locker open, a hand closed it shut. I didn't even need to look at the hand's face in order to know who was there.

"What do you want, Paul?" I huffed. I turned back to face him and sure enough, his stupid grin was plastered on that face.

Students were filing out of the classrooms, but I couldn't see his friends anywhere in sight. "I came to double check to see if you're sure you don't want to have dinner with me tonight," he said.

I quickly pulled my hands behind my back. "I'm sure."

"Positive?" Paul asked, his smirk actually going away. I don't get the point of this prank yet.

I didn't even validate that with an answer. Instead I turned around and walked away, down the hall and towards my next class without my textbook.

**PPOV**

Juliet walked away from me, again. Oh well, I can't blame her. My reputation at this school makes me out as a bully, a tormentor who does nothing but pick on those lower on the rungs than me. And it's true. I do pick on people. One of my favorite pastimes is to look at the faces of horror of the fucking nerds as I shred up their precious poster boards. Losers. And my favorite people to mess with are definitely Jacob, Kim, and Seth. Especially Seth. Poor boy is just so eager please, he'll do anything I say, even key Kim's car. Fucking hilarious. I told him to carve a giant dick on the hood, and he actually did it. The best part was that he knew not to get caught, so none of us could get in any trouble.

So yes, I admit it: I, Paul Lahote, am a bully. And yes, I do pick on people. I've set trash cans on fire in the bathroom, I've stolen things from the local shops, and I've gotten high at junior prom last year. But there's one thing I will never admit to.

I have never tortured Juliet Larson, ever.

Sure just an hour ago I had her touch my cock, but that wasn't meant to be bad. It may not look like it, but it was an act of – I'll never admit to my buds 'cause they'd never let me live it down – love. Now one could scoff all they want at me declaring that Juliet touching my cock is an act of love, but she'll have it eventually. I know with certainty that we will be together in the future and she'll take me in with loving arms. So I guess I could call that little act earlier a preview. A preview of what our lives will be like later on.

Once we graduate, then we could leave La Push and everyone's preconceived notions of me, and then we can spend the rest of our lives together. I cannot tell my friends or any other classmates about my love for Juliet because I'm supposed to be Paul Lohote: the greatest ladykiller at La Push High School. I'm expected to bang a new bitch every week, so I say I do, but I really don't out of respect for Juliet. She doesn't deserve a guy who would sleep around on her. No. She deserves a man who is completely devoted to her, and that's what I am.

I do not sleep with other people and I do not let my friends pick on her either. Six years ago my friend, Kyle, had tried to throw a rock at her when we walking home from middle school, and let's just say that he had a cast on his arm for eight weeks. When he'd gotten out of the hospital he asked me why I had attacked him, and all I'd said was, "Not Juliet." And since then, my friends and a couple others at school knew that Juliet was off limits. Through never outright spoken nor confirmed, I established myself as Juliet's personal protector.

Ever since we met in elementary school up till now, I've been madly in love with Juliet Larson. It had happened during recess. I was playing red rover, totally kicking ass too. No one could keep their hands linked when I came bolting forth, always breaking through. When all of a sudden a soccer ball hit the back of my head, almost knocking me onto my feet.

"Watch what you're doing!" I had yelled out, using anger to mask the throbbing in the back of my head. I'd turned around to beat the shit out of whoever kicked the ball at me, only to come face to face with the most beautiful girl I'd ever set my eyes on. She had straight black hair that was pulled into a tight ponytail, affixed by a hairband with pink plastic balls on it. Her skin was clear, not yet affected by acne, and it was the rich tone of Hershey's Kisses. My favorite part about her had been the yellow Pikachu hoodie she'd been wearing.

Immediately, Juliet had brought her hands up over her mouth in shock. "I'm so sorry!" she'd rushed. "Are you alright?"

"Y-y-yeah," I'd stammered, "I'm fine." I had been in shock at the beauty and kindness of the creature in front of me. However, my friends were all laughing behind me, at my having got hit by the ball and being nice to a girl. So I added: "You suck at kicking." And that started my love for her, and her hatred for me.

Ever since that day, I've fantasized about being with Juliet. She's been the gravity that's been holding me down to the earth, the only person who I'd ever murder for, and the one I'm ready to lay down my life for. I don't just love her, I legitimately _need _her.

And that brings me to now: Juliet walking away to her next class, leaving me alone at her locker. She forgot to affix the lock, letting it dangle undone. Sighing, I secured it and double-checked to make sure that no one could fuck with any of Juliet's belongings.

"Hey Paul! Wait up!" I heard a voice from behind. It was Jared, one of Sam Uley's cult followers – the only one I think. I have no idea why he wants to talk to me now though.

"What?" I asked, impatient and slightly embarrassed. I hope that he didn't see me locking Juliet's locker. I can't afford to be made out to look like a sap in front of the whole school.

Jared didn't look phased. He just stood looking bored at me, his giant new bulk not coming off as threatening in any way. It was pretty damn strange too: he was gone for a week and came back with all these muscles and a new tattoo. Fucking weird. I'm willing to bet my left nut that Sam is starting a cult and is passing out steroid-tainted Kool-Aid.

"Sam wants to see you," he stated, "tonight."

"What about?" I asked, getting really annoyed with him. I didn't have time to waste on fucking Sam and his gang shit. Just the idea that that freak had the nerve to bother me with an invitation got me all hot with anger. My temperature rose and I could feel my hands shaking and sweat starting to bead up on my forehead.

I took a couple deep breaths and calmed down, the shaking going away.

Jared gave a knowing smile. "You'll see why very shortly," he smirked. "And get your assignments for the week."

I scoffed and went on my way. However there was a voice in my head that told me that I should go with Jared to talk with Sam. I can't explain it; it's like an inner being inside my brain that wants me to go. Odd.


	2. Bravado

"Bravado" – Lorde

_I was frightened of every little thing that I thought was out to get me down / To trip me up and laugh at me / But I learned not to want_

* * *

This has been the best week of my life so far!

I had gotten an A on my history test, Kim and I finally got to see that new zombie movie that the whole school was raving about (it sucked by the way), and the cherry on top was that Paul has been absent all week! I heard it from my chemistry partner, Veronica, that she had seen Paul leaving early with Jared, most likely to go join Sam's crazy La Push Gang. But that doesn't really concern me, so I can honestly say that I don't care.

Kim and I were in the cafeteria, enjoying the fish sticks that were the only edible item on the menu. Kim was going on and on about how Jared had talked to her in the hallway today. She's been obsessed with for years, so the fact that he had finally showed her some attention was incredible to her.

"…and then he smiled and wouldn't take his eyes off me the entire time," she mused, dipping her fish stick into some ketchup.

I gave her an encouraging smile, telling her to continue with her story. "And then?"

"Then he asked me if I wanted to go to the bonfire tonight with him! Can you believe it? I've never been invited to an official bonfire before!" Jared always went to bonfires where the elders of the Reservation told the stories of the tribe, stories that were supposed to be top secret. One had to get invited in order to attend one of the elders'. Since I'm only on the Reservation thanks to my stepdad, I've never been invited.

"You agreed, right?"

Kim gave me a look. "No, I said 'No way,'" she snorted incredulously. "Of course I agreed!" She threw her hands up in the air in disbelief. "I just can't believe that it's finally happening."

"That's awesome," I said, proud that my best friend was finally going to get the date that she's been dreaming of for years. "So, what are you going to wear?"

"I was actually hoping I could borrow some of your clothes?" Kim gave me a pouty face, eyes widening like a puppy's. While Kim liked to dress conservatively, I liked clothes that were modest, yet they were tight enough to show off my curves. We were around the same size, yet my clothes were tighter, hers looser.

I laughed. "Yeah, why don't you just stay the night after the bonfire then? You can tell me everything that happened," I offered.

"Sounds great," Kim said, taking a sip of her Pepsi. "Oh, before I forget, Jared said that Paul asked about you."

Ugh, why on Earth would Paul be asking about me? Hadn't he annoyed me enough by making me touch his dick last week? "Really?" I whined.

Kim nodded. "I just you were doing good. I kept it short and sweet."

That was a nice answer. The shorter the response, the less Paul had to work with. After more date-talk the conversation turned to my job search, which was beginning to get a little desperate. "I've already applied to every retail store and every restaurant here, but I have yet to hear back. From anyone!" I complained. I had made up a resume, but it was pretty sad considering that I was just starting to get out on the job market, so all I have on there is my 3.0 GPA…and nothing else. Sad, right?

Kim was looking off into space, at something behind me. Turning around, I saw that it was Jared, who sat at the far end table by himself. He gave her a wink. I turned back to Kim, who had turned red with embarrassment.

"Maybe I should be a stripper?" I teased, knowing full well that Kim was not paying any attention to me.

"Okay," Kim breathed, eyes locked on Jared's. He was staring directly at her, not breaking any eye contact, a wide smile on his face. It was nice to see that Kim was finally getting some male attention. There's no doubt in my mind that she would make a good girlfriend, but she has to get over her chronic shyness first. Good thing Jared made the first move.

"And I'll shake it for a bunch of old pervs, getting dollars shoved down my panties," I laughed.

"Huh?" Finally Kim was listening.

"Nevermind."

The rest of the school day was pretty uneventful, but at least Kim and I didn't have to deal with Paul and his gang. His other friends didn't know what was up with him, saying that he was probably just sick or something. Or most likely ditching, which is the one I agree with. Given that Winter Break is going to start next week, then he would get three weeks off if he misses Friday tomorrow.

During the last period of the day, German, one of his buds, Brett I think, even asked me about him. We were going over verbs when he tapped my shoulder. "Hey, Jules," he whispered, low enough for only me to hear.

"What?" I hissed. I hate it when people call me Jules. I was trying to keep up with what the teacher was saying about conjugations, but I can't understand other languages. It's too damn hard! Knowing that my attempts at being fluent were futile, I turned to Brett.

He rolled his eyes at my attitude. "I'm just wonderin' if you knew where Paul is?" he asked.

"Why would I know that?" I scoffed. Seriously? Why bother asking me? "Did you ask his mom?"

"He lives with his dad," Brett corrected. "And I already checked his house."

"But why ask me then?" I pressed. The teacher momentarily glanced up from the textbook and I shifted in my seat to face forward again. There were more notes written on the board now and I began to copy them.

After a couple minutes, Brett began to talk again. "I just figured you'd know," he muttered, getting a little irritated with my answering his questions with questions of my own.

"Well alright then," I sarcastically whispered, lowering my voice in an uneducated manner to mock him.

There was sharp pain on my shoulder, Brett giving it a hard squeeze. "Paul isn't here so I don't have to be nice to you," he spat. He continued to burrow his fingers into my skin, making me wince with pain. He kept digging in his grubby nails until I turned my torso to swat his hand away.

"Ms. Larson, go to the principal's office," the teacher said, not looking up from the textbook this time.

"What?" I cried out. "How come?"

"You should know by now to keep your hands to yourself. I just saw you hit Brett," he said. "Now go."

Damn it! I got up, picked up my belongings, and walked out of the classroom. While going down the hall I considered just walking out to the parking lot to my car, and then drive on home. However, I didn't want to have to deal with my mom's interrogation regarding as to why I was home an hour early. I was dragging my ass down the hallway when I heard heavy footsteps following behind me.

I looked back and saw Jared walking up, giving me a little head nod to acknowledge me. "Hey, Juliet, wait up. I wanna talk to you," he said.

Wow, I was really popular today. "Sure," I said, just slowing my pace so that I wouldn't get in trouble for loitering in the hall. "Wanna talk in the parking lot?"

"Yeah, sounds good." We walked down the hall in silence so as to not disrupt any classes, and once we were walking out the entrance, Jared began to talk again. "So," he started, "I'm sure that by now you've heard about my date with Kim tonight."

I nodded. I had gotten an earful at lunch earlier today.

"Good, so I just wanted to know…" Jared's face grew a little red now, "…if you would tell me what restaurant to take her to?"

Aww, how cute! "Well, she hates Mexican food, but loves Italian," I mused, trying to think of the perfect place for her. "You know, there is this little Italian place down in Port Angeles. We went there for her birthday last month. It's her favorite. It's called the Golden Toad."

A huge smile formed on Jared's face. "Thanks!" he cheered. "It's really important that everything goes perfectly."

I have never seen a guy so invested in a date. I had honestly just thought that high schoolers dated just to be able to tell their friends that they were sexual, but then here's Jared proving me wrong. I just hope that he treats Kim nicely on the date and doesn't force her to do all the talking. With her shyness, it'd be pretty hard for her to control the conversation. Then a thought hit me.

"So why a bonfire?" I asked, curious as to why a bonfire with the elders counted as romantic and a little curious as to Kim was able to go and not me.

Jared looked around the student parking lot, empty cars being the only other things out there but us. "It's a tribal matter that I'm not allowed to discuss with outside members," he said, turning a little red in the face.

"Aww, c'mon!" I whined. "I've been living here for seven years now! Even if I'm not Quileute, doesn't that make me something?"

"Not that kind of outside members," Jared muttered. Then he paused in thought, giving me a look-over. "Maybe Paul will let you know."

I jerked back in surprise. What was everyone's fascination with me and Paul? I don't like him and he doesn't like me. So why is it that he's been asking about me all day, and Brett and Jared both concoct some fake connection that I'm supposed have with him? "Eww," was all I said. Then I decided to just go with my earlier plan and leave school an hour early. Perhaps I'd just go to the mall in Forks. Christmas is coming up, so this would a good time to do some holiday shopping. "I'll see you around, Jared."

He gave me a knowing look. "Bye Juliet."

I jumped into my car and sped out of the parking lot, grateful that I was able to avoid having to wait for the other students' vehicles since I was leaving early. The road was a little slick with ice and snow, so I made sure not to break the speed limit. I had my car heater blasting and the radio playing some pop song that was starting to grow on me a little bit. It didn't take long for me to reach Forks and the mall. Pulling into the parking garage, I decided to go up to the top level because I vaguely remember my stepbrother, Brady, saying something about the top level being the safest. Sure Forks isn't dangerous at all, but I'm a pretty paranoid person.

I parked my car and rushed inside the mall to avoid freezing my ass off. The jacket that I had been wearing earlier today was still in my locker and my long-sleeved shirt was failing to keep me warm. Once I got inside and began to defrost, I was a little disappointed to see the amount of people in the mall, especially during school and work hours. It was packed! Down the main hallway were crowds of people holding shopping bags, shoulder to shoulder, shoving their way to the next store.

I stayed back down one of the smaller hallways near the stores that no one seemed to care about, heading towards a double bench where only two other were. I could just sit on the other side and wait for a little bit until the crowd died down, or until it was safe enough to go home.

There was boy and a girl on the bench. The girl looked like some fashionista who was obsessed with the latest brands. She had a pixie haircut and was wearing dark sunglasses to hide her eyes. The guy was the one who caught my attention. He had short blonde hair that wasn't overly styled, but in a relaxed state without hair gel. He wore a brown leather jacket that had patches sewn onto it that looked like boy scout badges (I think they're called aviator jackets); and even from under the jacket, I could see his muscular build, power radiating from him. Like the girl, he too wore sunglasses. What struck me the most about them, besides them looking like models out of a magazine, was how pale they were. They needed some sunlight, stat.

As I approached the bench to sit down, I began to hear a little bit of their conversation.

The guy looked a little worried, quickly glancing at the heavy crowds and the people entering the mall. "I don't think I can do this, Alice," he said, his voice a little choked.

The girl, Alice I presume, replied in a sing-songy voice that sounded too cheery. "Peter, you can do this, I see it. I do this with Jasper to help him gain restraint. You won't hurt anybody."

I stopped in my tracks as I heard her last statement. He won't hurt anybody? And he needs to be reassured of that? Oh hell no, I am not sitting down at that bench. I quickly did a u-turn and began to walk over to the other end of the hallway where there a second bench, this one filled with a mother and her four children, each of them less than ten years old.

I plopped down, ignoring the whines of the kids to go to the toy store in the mall, the mother telling them all to shut up. I pulled out my phone, ready to play with some app in order to pass the time when I glanced back over at the other bench where the crazies sat.

The girl, Alice, was staring straight in my direction. She lowered her sunglasses, showing off golden eyes, and continued to look in my direction. The guy, Peter, looked at me too and whispered in the girl's ear. She then turned to him and said something, but I wasn't able to figure out what it was. They were most likely dissing my style or something. Whatever. Alice eventually turned away from me, but Peter wouldn't divert his gaze.

I began to grow red with self-consciousness and desperately wanted to hide. Therefore, I jumped off the bench and made my way into the crowd of shoppers, letting myself get pushed along the current. I shoved through the people, not really caring about which store I went to, but just wanting to get away from the stares of the weird models. Like I stated earlier: I'm kind of a paranoid person.

The red star from Macy's caught my eye and I wandered into their, mainly to escape the moving crowds in favor of a still one. I found myself in the perfume department and vaguely remembered sitting behind a girl in my chemistry class who wore a really nice lemon scented perfume. At first I had wondered whether or not lemon perfume would be a good idea since I'd always be thinking about lemon-scented cleaning supplies, but after some thinking, I decided that I could pull off lemon…maybe.

I began to wonder about the counters, looking for a bottle that would shout "Lemon" to me. I didn't know what the bottle looked like, but I assume that it'd be yellow. That only makes since.

After circling the first three counters, I felt a cold hand tap my shoulder very lightly, almost as if it were a feather touching me. "May I help you find anything, Ma'am?" a silky voice asked, tainted with a slight Southern accent.

I turned my head to face the voice and jumped back in shock. It was the crazy guy, Peter! My heart beat sped up and I began to get nervous. Looking around very quickly, there was no sign of the Alice girl. Plus, this Peter guy wasn't wearing any nametag, so I seriously doubted that he worked here.

"I'm good," I mumbled.

Peter smiled and leaned back on the counter, crossing his arms over his broad chest. "You look a little lost," he stated, "and I'm rather good at sniffing things out." I wasn't able to see his eyes from behind the dark sunglasses.

"I'm fine," I lied. "Just looking."

"Very well," Peter said. "And if it's of any consolation, I don't think you need to waste your time with perfume. You already smell delicious."

Eww, that's so creepy. "Thanks," I murmured and began to walk away.

"Wait!" Peter called out, flashing over to my side. Man, he moved quickly. "I didn't introduce myself properly. Name's Peter, Peter Odom, and you?" He held out his hand in a gentlemanly fashion.

"Not interested," I responded, continuing to exit the store.

"You may say that now," Peter smiled, "but I'm going to get you. Just you wait and see."

"Sure." I left the mall and drove back home, trying desperately to forget the uneasiness I felt under Peter's gaze and the anger I felt at having to hear about Paul all day.


End file.
